Stages of Love: Team 7 Style
by mischief maker 2.0
Summary: Series of drabbles, 500 words or less, written for the stages of love community over at livejournal. NaruSakuSasu, het and implied yaoi, complete
1. Because of Them

A/N: I know I said I wouldn't start any more stories until I finished what I've already started. It's all debbiechan's fault, so point all plastic forks at her please. :P Ha. Don't. I'm kidding, but do go check out her fics if you like DBZ or Bleach!

Title: Because of Them  
Author/Artist: mischief maker  
Theme: Attraction  
Rating: PG-13  
Author's Notes: Major spoiler warning and a whole lot of wishful thinking. Damn you, 292! ;;  
Word count: 396  
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

For Uchiha Sasuke, power was everything. The strong survived and eliminated the weak at their discretion. It was as simple as that. A shinobi was either powerful and therefore worthy of respect (or hate and resentment in many cases), or he was nothing, not even deserving of the title of shinobi.

It was almost three years after his defection that Sasuke was unexpectedly reunited with the only two people he'd allowed himself to give a damn about since the annihilation of his clan.

Interestingly enough, his first thought upon seeing them had nothing to do with whether or not they looked different to him or how, after everything that happened, all hate-filled glares were directed at his companions and not him (though he did notice.)

No, his first thought upon seeing his old team was, "They replaced me with that freak?"

All indignation was forgotten, though, when the fighting began.

Seeing Naruto engulfed in that flame-like aura once again, with three tails this time instead of one, made Sasuke's blood boil in an excitement he hadn't felt in years.

When he easily caught Naruto's punch, the blonde leaned in and, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, spoke just loud enough for the two of them to hear.

"Oi, bastard. When Sakura takes care of Kabuto, let's take out Orochimaru and get the hell out of here."

Sasuke only had a moment to wonder about how Sakura was supposed to pull off such a feat before he saw her punch obliterate nearly a hundred meters of ground. He couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine.

There was no time to think, only react, as adrenaline surged through his system, dictating his movements through a blur of dirt, sweat, and blood.

Next thing he knew, he was dashing through the trees of the forest with Naruto and Sakura at his sides. He didn't notice the jounin following close behind them or the fact that crop-top boy wasn't. What he did notice was the expressions on the faces of his former teammates. Both were grinning stupidly, and he had to resist the urge to do the same.

Uchiha Sasuke had left Konoha in search of power, yet it was the strength of his former teammates that ultimately drew him back to the village he'd betrayed.

At least that's what he told himself.

It was a partial truth.


	2. Fists and Shuriken

Title: Fists and Shuriken  
Author/Artist: mischief maker  
Theme: Romance  
Rating: PG  
Author's Notes: XD

* * *

The sounds of grunts and fists pounding upon flesh were all that could be heard at the training grounds where Sakura sat watching her teammates try to beat each other senseless. She sighed.

It hadn't taken long for things to return to almost normal. Well, as far as team seven's group dynamics were concerned anyway.

For Sasuke, life wouldn't be returning to normal any time soon, but that was to be expected. With the villagers' distrust, ANBU tailing him everywhere, restriction to only D-rank missions, and everything else his return entailed, training became a much needed outlet for his frustrations.

Despite all that, things between the three teammates were pretty much the same as they ever were, Sakura noted with annoyance. Old habits really did die hard, it seemed.

The bond between Sasuke and Naruto had always been different from the ones they shared with her, and it didn't used to bother her. It _shouldn't_ bother her now, she told herself.

But it did.

She no longer needed to be protected like the weak kunoichi she once was, and though they didn't really treat her that way, it had been easy to unconsciously slip into their previous routines. The boys sparred with each other almost to the point of brutality, while she did her own thing. It irritated the hell out of her.

It wasn't the implication that she wasn't good enough, because no such implication was ever made. It was common knowledge that she could seriously hurt them if given the opportunity. Sure, she'd have to _catch_ Sasuke first, which wasn't easy with that damned sharingan. And the kyuubi's chakra would heal Naruto immediately after she was done with him, but that wasn't the point.

It was her being excluded for no legitimate reason that made her… jealous? The thought surprised her, but yeah, that's exactly what it was. They had each other back, and she was just… there.

Well, she most definitely was NOT the same old Sakura. She'd trained under Tsunade-sama so she and Naruto could retrieve Sasuke _together_, which was exactly what they'd done. She'd be damned if she was going to let them ignore her.

"Hey!" she yelled, launching herself into the middle of their fight. Catching them off guard, her punch sent Naruto flying into Sasuke and knocked them both several steps back. "When's my turn?"

They looked up at her in mild surprise as they picked themselves up off the ground.

"You want to spar with us, Sakura-chan?"

"That's what I said, right?"

Her teammates looked at each other and shrugged.

"Don't expect us to go easy on you." There was a hint of amusement in Sasuke's voice, although his face was as serious as ever.

She couldn't stop herself from smirking.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."


	3. All or Nothing

Title: All Or Nothing  
Author: mischief maker  
Theme: Passion  
Rating: R for language mostly and a _very_ mild sexual situation  
Author's Notes: You have no idea how hard it was to keep this under 500 words.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto had always been impulsive. And while it had come back to bite him in the ass occasionally, he was generally okay with it.

Except at times like these.

Sakura was sweaty and panting and still straddling him from when she'd tackled him during their spar.

And he'd just kissed her.

Was he _stupid_? He just _kissed_ Sakura-chan, his teammate, one of his best friends and precious people. _Who is totally hot in that skirt and shin guards and **still** on my lap_, another part of his brain added.

And he had kissed her. With tongue.

And she'd made these neat little sounds of surprise but didn't push him away even after his hands had slid up her back and into her hair. And he had loved every second of it.

And… and _damn it_, now he was hard.

Sakura shifted, and her eyes widened as they shot downward. _Oh shit, she noticed_, his mind whimpered. _Could this get any worse?_

When she met his gaze a moment later, she was biting her lip and her eyebrows were drawn as if she were considering something. _Yeah, like deciding which way she's gonna kill me_. He instinctively shrunk away from her, bracing himself for the assault that was sure to come.

Except it didn't.

She just continued to sit on him, lost in thought, and he _really_ didn't want her there at that point, especially with that creepy expression that said she was planning something positively _evil_. And Sasuke's just standing there staring…

_Sasuke!_

Sakura must have thought the same thing, because they both turned toward their teammate at the same time.

The young Uchiha was just watching them, eyebrow raised faintly, and Naruto could practically hear the "What the fuck are you doing, moron?" that was no doubt running through his mind at that moment.

Naruto knew he should say something, but what? He had no idea. Sakura beat him to it anyway.

"Sasuke-kun." Her voice was so quiet, it didn't even sound like her. "I have an idea, but it's going to sound a little… strange."

Silence lingered a moment before he responded.

"I'm listening."

"Well, whatever happens within the team should happen equally, right? Otherwise there will be unnecessary tension between us."

Naruto stared up at her in complete shock. _Is she suggesting what I think she is?_

Her eyes shifted back down to him. "All or nothing's the only way this can happen, Naruto."

He felt dizzy. He wished Sakura would _get off _of him. He wished he could just apologize and take it back. He… hoped like hell Sasuke agreed. Taking a deep breath, the blonde asked in his most challenging tone, "So, _Uchiha_, are you game or what?"

The silence was deafening until the corner of the dark-haired shinobi's mouth curved into a smirk. "My apartment's closest," he replied.

Naruto couldn't stop smiling as the trio quickly disappeared from the clearing. He was never going to question his impulses again.


	4. Sum of Unequal Parts

Title: Sum of Unequal Parts  
Author: mischief maker  
Theme: Intimacy  
Rating: R for language  
Author's Notes: This isn't at all what I'd intended to write, but it's what came out. .

* * *

Sakura frowned as Sasuke slid out of bed and began pulling on his pants without so much as a passing glance in her direction. It had been three months since that day at the training grounds, and it was _still_ like this with him. It wasn't as if she really expected him to cuddle with her and Naruto or even just sit and talk, but… It dawned on her that she really had no idea what she had expected from him. She just knew _this_ wasn't it.

It was almost as if he simply flicked a switch and became someone else when they were in bed. But as soon as it was over, he went back to being the same old Sasuke. Sakura understood he wasn't one to outwardly show affection, but to simply act as if nothing had changed between them… She tried to not fault him for it, but she couldn't deny the emptiness his actions – or inaction as it tended to be – evoked within her.

He would protect either of them with his life; she knew that. Shouldn't that be enough? Was it selfish of her to want more, to be more than a teammate to him?

What _were_ they to each other now? Her best guess was something slightly more than fuck buddies (and oh, how she hated that phrase) yet still less than involved. Perhaps the problem was that it meant something different to each of them. Maybe it _was_ purely physical for Sasuke.

She had no doubt that to Naruto, she was his girlfriend, and Sasuke was – as of the _incident_ two weeks ago anyway – his boyfriend, if it could even be summed up by such insignificant words. They were _his_. She could see it in the way he looked at them with that soft smile even as they bickered. The way he seized every opportunity possible just to touch them – a hand on a back, a brush of her hair, a perfectly timed bumping of shoulders – perhaps to prove to himself they were there and that this was real. The way morning had found them sandwiched together with his limbs wrapped around both of them that time he'd convinced them to stay the night. Upon waking, Sasuke had quickly slipped back into brooding mode and immediately left to get some breakfast, while Naruto had simply shrugged it off as he did everything else.

_I wish **I** could just shrug off Sasuke's indifference, _she thought as she watched him slip into the bathroom. Relationships were a lot of work under normal circumstances, and this, if it even qualified, was anything but normal. She idly wondered what they'd gotten themselves into.

She was reminded, though, as Naruto kissed her shoulder and snuggled up flush against her back that she didn't have to figure it all out at once. The only thing she needed to do at that moment was let Naruto pet her hair as they basked in the afterglow, bittersweet as it may be.

* * *

I have one more to add once I finish it. 


	5. A Work in Progress

Title: A Work in Progress  
Author: mischief maker  
Theme: Commitment  
Rating: R for language  
Author's Notes: Last one.

* * *

Sasuke sighed, resisting the urge to pace like a caged animal. While he had expected this conversation to come up eventually, he'd hoped it would be later rather than sooner. Maybe by then he could've figured out what he was supposed to say.

He watched as Sakura blinked up at Naruto in surprise before turning her gaze toward him. _So she hadn't put the idiot up to it, huh?_ It didn't really matter, though. He had the feeling this had everything to do with her anyway and very little to do with the person currently crowding his personal space. _And smiling like he's about to say something he **knows** will piss me off, _he growled inwardly.

"It's not like we're asking you to marry us or anything," the blonde chuckled as he slapped him on the shoulder. "Just, I dunno, pretend to give a shit or something." Naruto then plopped down on the couch next to Sakura and smiled as he propped his feet up on Sasuke's coffee table.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Sasuke wondered how it was that anything his teammate said surprised him anymore. "Fucking Dead Last," he grumbled.

Naruto only laughed at that comment. "Yes, you are. Who'd have thought?" The bad joke earned him an eye roll from Sasuke, while Sakura smacked him upside the head with a pillow. His fox-like grin grew even wider, and he added with a shrug, "Hey, if you don't _wanna_ be here, …"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Naruto was going to make him _say_ it one way or another, wasn't he? He _hated_ it, hated that he needed the idiot to do it.

"You know I'm not anywhere unless I _want_ to be."

He blinked as he noticed Sakura relax at the forced statement. He hadn't misinterpreted, Sasuke realized. She really _had_ questioned it. For all her brains, he assumed it would've been obvious. His understanding must've shown, because her expression quickly changed from relief to guilt.

"I just didn't want to push. That's all. I guess it's silly, but I thought maybe you…"

Sasuke planted one knee on the couch next to Sakura as he leaned down and cut her off with a kiss. She squeaked in surprise before quickly melting into it as one of his hands slid behind her neck, the other braced against the back of the sofa. When he pulled away a few moments later, he gave them both a look that said the discussion was over.

And he certainly wasn't about to admit that Naruto wasn't _always_ a complete moron.

He was an Uchiha. They weren't exactly known for being the most affectionate bunch, and he _really_ knew next to nothing about this relationship stuff, but he would try, Sasuke decided. For them… well, for her anyway, because if Naruto kept looking at him like that, he was just going to have to kick his ass.


End file.
